Books

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California’s Inland Empire is ruled by money, sex, and threats—but one murder investigation could bring it all down. Combining psychological cat-and-mouse games with a cast of broken, deftly rendered characters, “Combustion” plumbs the darkest, most twisted depths of greed against the wild, dangerous backdrop of Southern California.

“As compulsive as its wind-fueled wildfire, Martin J. Smith’s ‘Combustion’ is a tour de force of suspense writing.”—Gordon McAlpine

Follow Smith down the rabbit hole and into the peculiar world of competitive duck painting, and the vitally important but hopelessly obscure Federal Duck Stamp Program, which many consider the greatest conservation program in human history.

“The Federal Duck Stamp Program has deserved a book like this for a long time: well-written, insightful, and just plain fun to read.”–David Allen Sibley, Sibley Guides to Birds and Trees

A deadly puzzle’s missing piece lies buried in the darkest corner of a troubled young man’s mind. Until memory expert Jim Christensen can find it, an entire city remains hostage to a killer of infinite creativity.

“Time Release is a spellbindingly accomplished first novel.”–James Ellroy

From within the labyrinth of Alzheimer’s, an old woman remembers a long-buried secret that could topple her family’s political dynasty. And only memory expert Jim Christensen understands what she’s trying to say.

“Shadow Image hooks you … right through to the last page.”–Michael Connelly

She identified her attacker as a frightening and disfigured young man known as The Scarecrow. Now, eight years later, DNA tests prove her wrong and plunge memory expert Jim Christensen into a harrowing search for the truth. Don’t miss this Edgar Award finalist!

“The creepiest good time I’ve had in ages … a genuine page turner.”–Laura Lippman

A mysterious, long-ago military plane crash plunges memory expert Jim Christensen and his adopted daughter into a high-stakes search for the truth about her past that leads to a deep well of dark family secrets, and into the crosshairs of an international fugitive who’ll do anything to keep those secrets buried. Order today!

“Smith is at once a reporter and storyteller, weaving a gruesome wartime reality deftly into the lives of the most engaging characters. A terrific read for lovers of political suspense.”—Rebecca Forster

A popular history of the fads, mavericks, inventions, and lore that shaped America, including cinematic zombies, pantyhose, Les Paul’s “Log,” the first diet doctor, Betty Ford’s intervention, and the improbable story of Alfred Kinsey’s honeymoon.

“All history should be this much fun.”–Publishers Weekly

A follow-up to “Poplorica” that extracts life lessons from the fiascoes that shaped America, with chapters on the the worst sports promotion of all time, the 1955 Dodge La Femme, the disastrous 1967 Monkees-Jimi Hendrix concert tour, Microsoft’s Clippy, and more!